A man sold into slavery as a child has won a court victory as judges declared that guidance on immigration rules for trafficking victims was unlawful. Three senior Appeal Court judges overturned two Home Office decisions in a case brought by a 40-year-old Ghanaian man with a "terrible story". In…

Police made 21 arrests in a major operation involving 350 officers to tackle a gang suspected of smuggling hundreds of migrants into the UK in the back of lorries. Raids took place on Teesside, in Hastings, Sussex, in London and the Northumbria Police force area following a year-long investigation which…

Victims of modern slavery and human trafficking are being offered jobs by retail giant the Co-op to help them rebuild their lives. Survivors of forced labour, sexual exploitation and domestic servitude are being given a four-week paid work placement in the Co-op's food business. The move is being supported by…

Councils have warned of a rise in the number of potential modern slavery victims identified as they called on the public to act as the "first line of defence" in efforts to tackle the scourge. Town halls highlighted official figures showing a jump in cases flagged up to authorities last…

The Prime Minister has been urged in the Lords to take a personal lead in tackling "Dickensian" conditions faced by millions of vulnerable children in England. Labour's Baroness Dean of Thornton-le-Fylde said a report by the Children's Commissioner for England, Anne Longfield, had exposed "horrific" figures. Opening a debate on…

Police are to investigate claims that children as young as 12 are routinely being sold for sex in one of Scotland's most deprived areas. Locals in the Govanhill area of Glasgow told The Times newspaper of being offered Roma children for sex or being approached outside bars by youngsters themselves.…

More than 25 people have been arrested in overnight raids across the UK and Europe as part of an international investigation into an alleged people smuggling ring. Addresses in England, Bulgaria and Belgium - suspected of being linked to an organised criminal network - were targeted shortly after 5am on…

Slave drivers and human traffickers have been allowed to carry on offending unchecked because of police failings, a watchdog report has warned. Cases are being shelved prematurely, investigations delayed by several months and clear signals of crimes missed, inspectors found. As a result of the shortcomings, those suffering at the…